Light-controlling-device holder



A. J. SWEET.

LIGHT CONTROLLING D EVICE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-8,1918- Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

lave/ 50 A. 1. SWEET. LIGHT CONIROLUNG DEVICE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.8, 1918.

.iPw hN Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lJNlTED STATES ARTHUR J. SWEET, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LIGHT-CONTROLLING-DEVICE HOLDER.

Application filed January 8, 1913.

To (LZZ w ham it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. Swnnr, citizen oi the United States, residing at hililwaukee, isconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Light- Controlling-Device Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to lighting fixtures, and more particularly to appliances for securing reflectors, diffusing bowls, or other types of light-controlling devices to pipin rods or the like. For this general purpose, my invention aims to provide a holder which will permit of raising or lowering the lightcontrolling device relative to the lamp; which can readily be shipped in an exceedingly compact from when disassemblech which can speedily be assembled and secured in position, and easily adjusted as to its position; which will be neat and firm when installed, and which in some embodiments of the invention will eliminate the use of small screws or other petty fastening elements likely to jar loose or to be lost. More particularly, my invention aims to provide a holder in which the arms are entirely detachable from the securing means which clamp them to the fixture stem or other support, in which these arms will be spaced from each other by simple and effective means, and in which the same securing means may be used interchangeably with arms or different lengths or shapes, thereby enabling substitutions to be made without removing the securing means or other fiX- ture parts from. the fixture. Furthermore, my invention aims to provide a holder of a spider type, in which the arms afford direct connection with both the support and the light-controlling device carried by the arms; in which the arms are simultaneously secured to, or loosened from, the support by a simple manipulation of a single element; and in which a. partial loosening of the securing means will permit the arms to be rocked upon the fixture stem without detaching the arms, thereby enabling the outer ends of the arms to be swung out of engagement with the light-controlling device. In this last aspect, my invention is intended to provide a holder in which. the ends of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Serial No. 210,844.

arms associated with the light-controlling device can readily be moved into and out of their normal positions by bodily rocking these arms, thereby permitting the use of inflexible arms which may more easily be made of the strength required for supporting heavy ditlusing bowls or retractors and which arms may be interchanged with others whenever the lighting requirements make it desirable to substitute some other size or shape of light-controlling device.

lYith the above described and other objects in mind, I am describing various embodiments of my invention in the following specifications, and am illustrating the same in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing one desirable form of my invention as employed in supporting a light-controllingdevice of a bowltype.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevation of a part of the fixture stem and of the holder portions adjacent thereto.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through Fig. along the line 38.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged and fragmentary section through Fig. 2 taken along the line -lsl of Fig. 3.

Fig. is a section similar to F 3 but taken through an embodiment of my invention in which the arm spacing and alining element constitutes a separate part and is not integral with the pipe to which the holder is clamped.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a spacing and alining element suitable for use with the embodiment of. Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention in which the spacing and alining element is fast upon the arm and is threaded.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section similar to Figs. 3 and 5 but taken through an embodiment of my invention in which the clamping device operates on the principle of a metal strap, and in which the spacing and alining elements are integral with the said clamping device.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the clamping means and adjacent arm portions of Fig. 8 as attached to a pipe.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section through holder portions similar to those of Fig. 9 but with a tongue on the clamp interlocking with a notch on a holder arm.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevation of the holder parts of Fig. 10 when in use.

In accomplishing the purposes of my invention, after the manner illustrated in the drawings, 1 provide a holder of the spiderarm type employing a plurality of arms,

which arms (according to an essential fea ture of my invention) are entirely detachable from the pipe or fixture stem 2:3 in some other manner than by passing them, rouped as forming the holder, over GlQlQl extreme end of the said stem or over the socket. The arms may be entirely separable from the clamping means, as in Figs. i, 9 and 16. However, they are preferably so designed with respect to the clamping means that a partial loosening of the latter will permit the entire holder to be moved lengthwise of the fixture stem (thereby permitting of a speedy and exact positioning of the lightcontrolling device with respect to the lamp), and will. also permit the arms of the holder to be rocked about the fixture stem while still maintaining these arms partially en gaged with the clamping means. Thus by partially backing oil the clamping sleeve 1 of Figs. 2 and 4c, the tapered thread on the latter will still remain partially engaged with the threads on the adjacent ends of the holder arms 2, but will permit each of these arms to be rocked on an imaginary axis near its threaded end, so that the other end of the arm can be thrown out of en gage ment with the inter-engaging portion of the light-controlling device (5. thus permitting the light-controllingdevice to be removed from the holder. The action here de scribed will be made more clear oy reference to fig. 1-, which shows in full lines the arm in the position of attachment to the lightcontrolling-device, and in dotted lines the arm rocked back to a position of disengage ment with the latter. Obviously, a similar action is possible with other forms of my invention, such as those specifically presented by Figs. 8 and 9. The interengaging surfaces of each arm 2 and the light-controlling-device 6 are preferably so formed that, even when, by the partial unclamping above described, the arm is free to rock, it is limited as to such rocking by a downwardprojecting element of the light-controllingdevice, so that the lower portion of the arm cannot be rocked outward into aposition of disengagement with the light-controllingdevice, unless the light-controlling-device is raised at the point of engagement by an amount equal in height to the said downward projection. The elemental relationship of such inter-engaging surfaces is illus trated in Fig. 4:, though it will be obvious that these intei e'ngaging surfaces may be variously shaped, the condition of this fea ture of my invention being fulfilled if downward-projecting element of the lightcontroHing-device is provided at the point of inter-engagement at a greater radial distance from the fixture axis than an upwardprojecting element of the arm.

l f it is desired to adjust the position of the holder on the stem, it is obvious that this can conveniently be done in the partially unclamped adjustment of the holder, either with the light-controlling-device in position in the holder or with the light-controllingdevice removed.

To entirely remove the spider arms. the clamping ring 1 of Figs. 1 to 4. is entirely n1 screwed, to disengagement with the taperthreaded ends of the arms 2 (or with the taper-threaded spacer 8, an integral portion of arm I, Fig. 7), the complete disengagement of the threads obviously permitting the arms to be removed; or the tightening screw of the clamping strap, Figs. 8 and 9, is entirely miscrewed, permitting the clam ping strap to beso sprung open as to disengage the reta ning pin and hence entirely 1elease the arms.

From the foregoing descriptions it will be evident how, with any of the various embodiments of my invention, the arms may be removed and other arms of different sizes or types substituted, so as to be adapted to the support of a light-controlling-device of different character and propmrtions, without removing the socket or interrupting the lighting service. how the ar us may be shipped separate from the fixture stem, and assembled with the fixture either at the time when same is in stalled, or subsequent thereto, as may be found desirable.

in order to securely support the lightcontrolling-device,'and .in order that the fixture present a satisfactory appeara ice, it is desirable that the spider-arms be properly spaced relative to each other and held in proper planes. This spacing and alining is desirably accomplished simultaneously, as for example by the longitudinal grooving on the piping or stem of F 1 to 4; or the spacing and alining means may be fast upon the arm, as in Fig. 7 or a separate spacing and alining member 5 may be used, as in Figs. 5 and 6; or the same purpose may be accomplished by grooves in the clamping member l, as in Figs. 8 and 10. Thus, it will. be obvious that widely varied means may be used for accomplishing the desired spacing and alining ofthe arms, and I do not wish to be limited as to any particular embodiment of this feature. Likewise, while I have illustrated holders having three'arms and, in the case of a threaded clamping sleeve, having threads on the arms themselves, I do not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement here disclosed, it being obvious that these might be modified in many ways It will likewise be evident Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A holder for securing a light-controlling device to a fixture stem, comprising a plurality of separable arms each bearing directly against the stem at its inner end and each equipped at its outer end with an inwardly directed hook overhanging the rim of the said device, and means for simultaneously clamping the said inner end arms against the fixture stem and holding the arms in such positions that their outer ends Will securely engage said light-controlling device.

2. A holder for securing a light-distributing device to a fixture stem, comprising a plurality of arms each having an inner end disposed substantially parallel to the fixture stem and bearing directly against the latter, and single means for simultaneously clamping the said inner arm ends against the stem, the outer ends of the arms having light-controlling-device-engaging means responsive in action to the said clamping means.

3. A holder as per claim 2, in combination with means for spacing the said inner arm ends circumferentially of the fixture stem.

4:. A fight-controlling-device holder for use With a fixture stem, comprising a plurality of separable arms each bearing at its upper end against the stem, and tightenable means for simultaneously forcing the said ends of all the arms radially inward against the stem, the said means and theadjacent arm portions having interengaging formations arranged for maintaining the arms interlocked with the said means upon a partial loosening of the latter to permit a simultaneous movement of the said means and oi the arms longitudinally of the fixture stem.

5. A holder for securing a light-controlling device to a fixture stem, comprising arms separable from both of the aforesaid and from each other, and means laterally engaging the arms for alining the latter in diverging planes substantially radial of the axis of said stem and for simultaneously and clampingly securing the arms directly to the stem.

6. A holder for securing a light-controlling device to a fixture stem, comprising arms separable from both of the aforesaid and from each other, means for alining the said arms in diverging planes substantially radial of the axis of said stem while permitting a movement of the arms longitudinally of the stem and means for simultaneously and clampingly securing the arms directly to the stem.

7. In a pendant lighting fixture, a socketcarrying stem having a portion equipped with longitudinal grooves, light-controllingdevice-holding arms having portions respectively disposed in the said grooves and movable longitudinally of the latter, and means for simultaneously clamping the said arm portions directly to the said stem.

8. The combination with a pendant fixture stem,rof a socket upon the endoi the stem and larger in diameter than the stem, a holder member housing a part of the stem, holder arms independently and interchangeably attachable to the holder member, and means associated with the holder member and the said arms for causing the former to clamp the latter upon the stem; the holder member having a bore intermediate in diameter to the said stem and socket, Whereby the socket is adapted to support the holder member when the arms are detached from the latter.

Signed at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Janua ARTHUR J. SWEET. 

